The M25 is closed clockwise following a lorry fire between junction 5 for Sevenoaks and junction 6 for Godstone.

The blaze broke out last night (Sunday) and has also closed the M26 London bound from junction 2A for Wrotham to junction 1 for the M25.

Five fire engines and two water carriers were called to deal with the fire at around 10pm and crews were at the scene for 10 hours.

Video footage shows the lorry travelling along the M25 when it appears to hit a safety barrier and become engulfed in flames before coming to a standstill.

National Highways has said the blaze has caused major damage to the road surface and central reservation barrier.

Due to the intensity of the fire, the recovery of the vehicle has also been complicated as parts of it have disintegrated.

Work is ongoing to remove debris from the carriageway and specialist cutting equipment is being used to dismantle the remaining parts of the vehicle on site.

The clockwise carriageway of the M25 is likely to remain closed into the evening to allow for the recovery and resurfacing.

Lanes three and four are also closed on the anticlockwise carriageway between Godstone and Sevenoaks.

Drivers are warned to expect delays on diversion routes, including the A21, A25 and A22.

A Tesco spokesperson confirmed the incident involved one of its vehicles, and the company is supporting emergency services with their investigations.

The driver sustained minor injuries, according to Surrey Police.

Congestion is stretching back to junction 3 of the M20 for the Swanley Interchange, and anticlockwise back to junction 7 of the M23.

There are also long queues on the A25 diversion back into Sevenoaks.

Elsewhere, traffic is stretching back for miles due to emergency roadworks at the Dartford Crossing with one of the tunnels expected to remain closed throughout the day.

The network operations manager for National Highways in the South East, Robert Bell, has advised drivers to avoid the area if they can.

He added: “The challenging nature and extensive damage these incidents have caused means the closures are going to run into tonight’s commute and my advice is to please plan your journey, allow extra time, and avoid the area if you possibly can.

“We have diversions in place but due to these incidents impacting each other there is already significant disruption in the surrounding areas and we expect this to get worse as we move towards the evening commute.

“Getting these roads open is our absolute priority and we are doing everything we can to make that happen.

“The M25 and the Dartford crossing are major parts of the strategic road network, and we understand the inconvenience and disruption any closure has.

“We appreciate people’s patience and understanding while these significant repairs are undertaken.”

There was more misery for motorists and severe delays were reported at 5.30pm when two lanes were closed due to a broken-down vehicle on the M25 anti-clockwise from J3 M20 J1 (Swanley Interchange) to J2 A2 (Darenth Interchange).

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